Single cycle filler and dispensing valve

ABSTRACT

An originally open filler valve is converted after a filling operation to a dual valve operation when first closed and includes a shut-off outflow dispensing valve and a shifted ball in-flow check valve, the activation of the in-flow check valve occurring with the first closing of the valve to prevent contamination of any products in the container or the container itself when empty. The dual action valve is a permanently assembled unit that reveals tampering and is resettable for a filling operation only after detectable removal from the container.

[451 Sept. 4, 1973 United States Patent 1 Shaw 3,307,597 3/1967 l4l/l8 3,232,485 2/1966 141/18 X SINGLE CYCLE FILLER AND DISPENSING VALVE [75] Inventor: Harry N. Shaw, Chicago,lll.

Assignee: Golconda Corporation, Chicago,

Primary Examiner-Samuel F. Coleman 1 Assistant Examiner-Norman L. Stack, Jr.

Attorney-Watson D. Harbaugh et al. Dec. 1, 1971 Appl. No.: 203,745

22 Filed:

ABSTRACT An originallv open filler valve is converted after a filling operation to a dual valve operation when first closed and includes a shut-off outflow dispensing valve and a shifted ball iii-flow check valve, the activation of 26 a a 92 4B4. m .v 7M 30 1E 11 1 1 mm04 5 m WWW 27 3 "5 N W mm3 m 5 "mmJ T3 "m s n. u 2 L C Sm UIF .llI 2 8 555 the in-flow check valve occurring with the first closing 6142; 221/278; 251/27 21 of the valve to prevent contamination of any products in the container or the container itself when empty. References Cited The dual action valve is a permanently assembled unit UNITED STATES PATENTS that reveals tampering and is resettable for a filling opn n o C h t m s n n m w v i 0 F m 8 e .m r w k m b D m m 4 Mn S d m r e C m 4 l v l n o m r e mm e m 2222 2 smmmm MDDDD 2//// 7777 3333 1111 m I" e u "n d m nn omm mm m w SThFT 4044 1311 99999 11111 Ill/l 40268 11 06827 65432 ,33 65696 3 0090 .J 2.11111 SINGLE CYCLE FILLER AND DISPENSING VALVE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I Freon as representative of many critical liquefied gas products is stored for customer use in perfectly clean, portable pressure cylinders or containers for shipping and intermittent dispensing operations. Heretofore consignees of the filled containers after emptying them have, upon many occasions, used the containers for other gases, which contaminate the containers against repeated use for freon without a thorough cleaning. Reactive gases are dangerous while others pollute, are obnoxious, or cause deterioration even to causing catalytic mixtures.

The containers are generally owned by a bulk supplier and, although most containers are not contaminated when returned to the bulk plant for reuse, they all have had to be cleaned to catch any and all that may be contaminated. The cleaning process and the policing of the containers to avoid or correct for their vagrant use before being returned to the owner are quite expensive and this invention is to prevent possible diversion of the containers to other uses. It also eliminates the need of purging all the containers because of a few. Only those need be purged where easy inspection of the valve indicates its removal or a tampering.

Also, in view of the fact that purging a cylinder may be better accomplished by removal of the cylinder valve, an inexpensive valve is desired which can be either a discard or a profitable repeated use valve. It provides easy access for full inspection and a resetting for repeated use only when the valve is removed from the cylinder.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION In the present invention a valve stem is permanently assembled in a valve housing with a ball check originally held out of the path of flow of liquid during high speed filling of the container to which it is attached. The first time the valve is closed the ball is dislodged and shifted into the path of fluid flow in a compartment where it is held thereafter by the valve stem to operate freely as an in-flow check valve that prevents refilling. The valve stem has a valve portion that closes against a seat outwardly of the check valve chamber to operate as a manual shut-off valve.

The contents of the container can be emptied by opening the shut-off valve but no fluid can enter the container through the valve since the ball check will a close. The ball is free to rattle when the shut-off valve is closed as an audible check against tampering, and if the stem is removed by physical force either to remove or obstruct the action of the ball check, the tampering will be readily apparent at the handle end of the valve housing or at the mounting thread.

The out-flow that is permitted by the ball check includes safetyielief. outflow through a pressure relief valvein the valve stem, which valve is also constructed to prevent tampering with the ball check through the valve stem.

If it is desired by the bulk supplier toreuse the valve, it can be removed, theball carefully restored to its first position and the valve body secured again to the tank. Thereafter, if anyone else removes the valve to reset it for a vagrant purpose, such will be detected at the exposed end of the tank thread because such hasbeen coated with a telltale coating used by the owner.

An object of the invention is to provide a filler- I dispensing valve which protects a container against vagrant use whether it be a thin wall container classified for one time use or a standard container for repeated use generally referred to as a cylinder.

A further object is to provide a one cycle use of filling and dispensing from a container, in that order, so that safety or economics of repeated use containers is attained with nominal inspection of containers by the owner or a licensed bulk supplier.

Another object is to provide a unitized combination filler-dispensing valve having an in-flow check valve means in a housing made of metal to resist fire and physical damage as a safety factor and which is simple in construction, easy to inspect, and use, and is economical to manufacture yet can repeatedly be removed from a container for recycling use and inspection.

These being among the objects, other and further objects will become apparent from the description and drawings which follow.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the invention wherein a shut-off valve and a concealed in-flow check valveis provided ready for installation and filling of a container;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the embodiment secured to a filled container with the in-flow check valve re leased and the shut-off valveclosed;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 with a dispensing conduit connected to the valve and both valves open to permit out-flow from a container; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the shut-off valve open but the in-flow check valve closed and thwarting any endeavor to refill the container.

Referring now to the drawings in further detail, an elongated unitary valve body 10, preferably formed of metal, has a bore 12 therethrough that is internally threaded at the upper end at 14 to receive a valve stem 16 for rotational operation therein. Below the threaded portion a cylindrical surface 17 is provided that terminates at its lower end in a shoulder defining a shut-off valve seat 18, and the remainder of the bore includes a check valve chamber 20 of reduced size below the seat, having at its lower end a check valve seat 22 that communicates with an open passage 24. The lower end of the valve body is provided with male pipe thread 26 for reception in sealed relation in the threaded neck 26 of a liquefied gas container 28.

A boss 30 extends from one side of the body and has a drilled conduit 32 therethrouglr. The boss is externally threaded at 34 to receive a flate cap 36 thereon piece of plastic having lubricity characteristics such as polypropylene, teflon, nylon or the like, and internally has a cored conduit 46 throughout its length which is cylindrical at 48 at its outer end, and reduced at 50 intermediate its ends to provide a chamber for a pressure relief valve 52 which terminates in a shoulder 54 defining a valve seat for the valve 52. The port 56 of the valve leads to a conduit 58 at the lower end that bifurcates into two enlarged passages defined in part by a wall 62 between them that extends beyond the lower end of the stern in the form oftongue 64. The upper exposed end of the stem is provided with wings 66 for manually turning the stem. They are preferably coplanar with the tongue 64 for reasons later noted.

Below the wings 66 the stem is externally threaded for several turns 68 to mate with the threads 14 and below the threads the stem is cylindrical in shape as at 70 to slip easily in guided relationship in the cylinder 17. Adjacent the thread turns 68 a cross passage 72 is provided and therebelow a groove is provided receiving an O-ring seal 74 therein. The lower end 75 provides a tapering nose 76 to engage the valve seat 18 to function therewith as a manually controlled shut-off valve 7 78 (FIG. 2).

The moving member for the in-flow check valve 80 is a lightweight ball 82, preferably of plastic, and the relative diameters of the ball 82, chamber 20 and passage 24 are such that the flow area between the ball and its chamber is greater than the flow'area of the passage 24.

In the assembly of the valve, the pressure relief valve 52 is dropped into the stem 16 with a compression spring 53 in place and a perforate sheet metal expansion washer 55 is then forced into the cylindrical portion 48 to the depth required to compress the spring according to specifications. Thereafter the O-ring is slipped into place. The ball '82 is dropped into the threaded opening 68. The stem is turned into the body to its closed position and the flared cap 36 is secured in place.

The stem is then backed out 4% (from FIG. 2 to FIG. 1) turns to an orientation in which the wings 66 are disposed horizontally with the boss 30 disposed upright. .4 rod about one-eighth inch in diameter can then serve as a tool inserted through the opening 24 to snap the ball into place between the resilient tongue 64 and recess 38 where it is restrained from the path of fast flowing filling liquid.

Thereafter the upper end of the body 10 is staked as at 86 to prevent removal of the stem without causing easily detected damage to the parts. Also, once the valve is secured in place on the container, the exposed thread ends may be covered with a frangible substance to reveal any loosening of the valve on the container. Otherwise, eyelets (not shown) and a conventional embossed lead-sealed wire can be used, if desired.

The operation of the embodiment can be understood in considering the FIGS. sequentially. In FIG. 1 the ball 82 is located in the valve chamber 17 where it is held by the tongue 64 in the recess 38. In this condition the valve is sold and shipped to a bulk plant having the containers and there the valves are installed on the containers, it being noted that the coplanar wings 66 and tongue 64 are left at right angles to the conduit 32 to indicate readiness for filling.

With the valve secured by its lower thread 26 in the threaded opening 27 of the neck of a container 28, the container is then connected by the boss 30 to a filler conduit (not shown). The valve is open during filling and when completed the stem is turned to close the valve 78. During the first part of the movement of the stem, as already described, the ball is dislodged by the nose 76 of the stem from the recess 38 and force through the valve seat 18 as the tongue 64 flexes to accommodate this movement of the ball.

Thereafter, when the container is put into dispensing service, the flare cap 36 is removed from the valve of the filled container and the flare coupling 44 is secured in place as shown in FIG. 3, the shut-off valve 78 is then opened and the in-flow check valve opens with the out flow of liquid from the container.

When the container is empty any endeavor to refill it with the shut-off valve open is frustrated by the in flow check valve 80 being in closed position to prevent refilling contamination. It is not until the valve is removed from the container and the ball is returned to its original position shown in FIG. 1, by the method already described initially, that the valve can again be used as a filler valve. This inability to refill the container for vagrant use is conducive to the early return of the container to the bulk supplier to avoid demurrage.

It has been found that if the container is accidentally overfilled and a hydrostatic pressure does develop, adequate pressure relief is provided with the in flow check valve opening and the safety relief valve functioning, and, although the valve can be used on one way containers, it is particularly useful for the safe use and early returns of heavier standard'containers intended to be repeatedly used between customers and bulk suppliers.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment, it will be understood how it performs and fulfills the ob- 30 jects of the invention and how various further modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A single cycle filler-dispensing valve for a pressure container comprising an elongated body having a stepped eduction conduit therethrough defining spaced shoulders facing the same direction as the outflow from the container and defining open valve seats of different diameters with open flow space therebetween;

a valve stem threaded in the body to extend into the larger end of said conduit and having a head coacting with the larger seat as a shut-off valve and when open providing a substantial valve space with an outlet therefrom above the larger seat in open com munication with a container;

a displaceable valve'member receivable in said valve space when said valve head is open and movable through said larger valve seat when free to do so with substantial clearance for outflow therepast;

means carried by said valve stem to hold said valve member in said valve space when the larger seat is open, said valve stem displacing said valve member through said larger seat to the flow space between said shoulders when moved downwardly to close the larger seat;

said valve member in said flow space freely engaging the smaller seat to coact therewith to check back flow of fluid-from the outlet through the smaller seat.

I 2. The combination called for in claim 1 in which said stem has handle means on it cross-elongated in a predetermined plane; and

said valve member holding means comprising a resil- 65 ient depending tongue holding the valve member against the side wall of said conduit in said space in a predetermined relation with respect to said plane and an identifiable element on said body.

3. The combination called for in claim 1 including a lateral conduit meanscommunicating with said space above said larger seat, and recess means in the conduit wall defining said space and disposed coaxial with said conduit means to accommodate said valve member above said larger valve seat.

4. The combination called for in claim 1 including a pressure relief means in said stem with a conduit through the stem and a spring pressed valve means closing said conduit; and

said holding means comprising a tongue at the lower end holding the valve member below the larger valve seat during flow from said smaller valve seat towards the larger valve seat, the flow area around thevalve member being greater than the flow area of said smaller valve seat.

5. The combination called for in claim 1 including;

filler conduit means communicating through said outlet with said stepped conduit means above the larger valve seat; and said valve holding means being disposed in alignment with said-filler conduit means between said filler conduit means and said valve member when held in said space.

6. The combination called for in claim 1 in which said valve holding means is a resilient paddle shaped element centrally shielding said valve member from the full thrust of filling liquid entering the larger valve seat.

7. in a single cycle shipping dispensor for liquefied.

ing vertically spaced valve seats, the lower one of which is in open communication with the container; y a valve stem mounted above the upper seat to coact therewith as a shut-ff valve and when in open position defining asp'ace above the seat; avalve member reciprocable in between said seats and having a size smaller than said upper seat; means carried by said stem for holding the valve member insaid'space; said valve stem displacing the valve member through the upper seat when the valve stem is moved to its closed position; said valve member engaging the lower seat to coact therewith as an in-flow check valve; and dispensing conduit means in communication with said space.

8. The combination called for in claim 7 in which said valve member is a ball of a diameter intermediate the diameters of said valve seats with the flow area differential between the two larger diameters exceeding the flow area of the smallest diameter.

9. The combination called for in claim 7 in which said valve member retaining means is in the path of filling flow through the dispensing conduit means past said valve member held in said space.

10. The combination called for in claim 7 in which said stern has handle means on it laterally elongated in a predetermined plane;

- filler conduit means communicating with said stepped conduit means above the upper valve seat; and

said holding means comprising a resilient depending tongue retaining the valve member in said space as laterally displaced against the side wall of said conduit in a position spaced from said filler conduit means in a relation determined with respect to said plane.

11. The combination called for in claim 10 including recess means in the conduit wall at said spaced position which is coaxial with said conduit to accommodate said valve member above said upper valve seat.

12. The combination called for in claim 7 including a pressure relief means in said stem with a conduit through the stem and a spring pressed valve means closing said conduit; 7 i a said means including a tongueat'the lower end of said stern conduit holding the valve member below the upper valve seat during flow from said lower valve seat towards the upper valve seat, the flow area around the valve member being greater than i the flow area of said lower seat.

13.The combination called for in claim 7 including filler conduit means communicating with said stepped conduit above the upper valve seat; and

said valve holding means being disposed in alignment with said filler conduit means to hold said valve member against the stepped conduit wall above the upper valve seat remote from said filler conduit means when held in said space.

14. The combination called for in claim 7 in which said valve member holding means is aresilient paddle shaped element shielding said valve member from the full thrust of filling liquid between said filler conduit means and theupper valve seat. 

1. A single cycle filler-dispensing valve for a pressure container comprising an elongated body having a stepped eduction conduit therethrough defining spaced shoulders facing the same direction as the outflow from the container and defining open valve seats of different diameters with open flow space therebetween; a valve stem threaded in the body to extend into the larger end of said conduit and having a head coacting with the larger seat as a shut-off valve and when open providing a substantial valve space with an outlet therefrom above the larger seat in open communication with a container; a displaceable valve member receivable in said valve space when said valve head is open and movable through said larger valve seat when free to do so with substantial clearance for outflow therepast; means carried by said valve stem to hold said valve member in said valve space when the larger seat is open, said valve stem displacing said valve member through said larger seat to the flow space between said shoulders when moved downwardly to close the larger seat; said valve member in said flow space freely engaging the smaller seat to coact therewith to check back flow of fluid from the outlet through the smaller seat.
 2. The combination called for in claim 1 in which said stem has handle means on it cross-elongated in a predetermined plane; and said valve member holding means comprising a resilient depending tongue holding the valve member against the side wall of said conduit in said space in a predetermined relation with respect to said plane and an identifiable element on said body.
 3. The combination called for in claim 1 including a lateral conduit means communicating with said space above said larger seat, and recess means in the conduit wall defining said space and disposed coaxial with said conduit means to accommodate said valve member above said larger valve seat.
 4. The combination called for in claim 1 including a pressure relief means in said stem with a conduit through the stem and a spring pressed valve means closing said conduit; and said holding means comprising a tongue at the lower end holding the valve member below the larger valve seat during flow from said smaller valve seat towards the larger valve seat, the flow area around the valve member being greater than the flow area of said smaller valve seat.
 5. The combination called for in claim 1 including; filler conduit means communicating through said outlet with said stepped conduit means above the larger valve seat; and said valve holding means being disposed in alignment with said filler conduit means between said filler conduit means and said valve member when held in said space.
 6. The combination called for in claim 1 in which said valve holding means is a resilient paddle shaped element centrally shielding said valve member from the full thrust of filling liquid entering the larger valve seat.
 7. In a single cycle shipping dispensor for liquefied gas having a pressure container; a valve unit for removable mounting on the container comprising: a valve body having a stepped conduit means defining vertically spaced valve seats, the lower one of which is in open communication with the container; a valve stem mounted above the upper seat to coact therewith as a shut-ff valve and when in open position defining a space above the seat; a valve member reciprocable in between said seats and having a size smaller than said upper seat; means carried by said stem for holding the valve member in said space; said valve stem displacing the valve member through the upper seat when the valve stem is moved to its closed position; said valve member engaging the lower seat to coact therewith as an in-flow check valve; and dispensing conduit means in communication with said space.
 8. The combination called for in claim 7 in which said valve member is a ball of a diameter intermediate the diameters of said valve seats with the flow area differential between the two larger diameters exceeding the flow area of the smallest diameter.
 9. The combination called for in claim 7 in which said valve member retaining means is in the path of filling flow through the dispensing conduit means past said valve member held in said space.
 10. The combination called for in claim 7 in which said stem has handle means on it laterally elongated in a predetermined plane; filler conduit means communicating with said stepped conduit means above the upper valve seat; and said holding means comprising a resilient depending tongue retaining the valve member in said space as laterally displaced against the side wall of said conduit in a position spaced from said filler conduit means in a relation determined with respect to said plane.
 11. The combination called for in claim 10 including recess means in the conduit wall at said spaced position which is coaxial with said conduit to accommodate said valve member above said upper valve seat.
 12. The combination called for in claim 7 including a pressure relief means in said stem with a conduit through the stem and a spring pressed valve means closing said conduit; said means including a tongue at the lower end of said stem conduit holding the valve member below the upper valve seat during flow from said lower valve seat towards the upper valve seat, the flow area around the valve member being greater than the flow area of said lower seat.
 13. The combination called for in claim 7 including filler conduit means communicating with said stepped conduit above the upper valve seat; and said valve holding means being disposed in alignment with said filler conduit means to hold said valve member against the stepped conduit wall above the upper valve seat remote from said filler conduit means when held in said space.
 14. The combination called for in claim 7 in which said valve member holding means is a resilient paddle shaped element shielding said valve member from the full thrust of filling liquid between said filler conduit means and the upper valve seat. 